Daffy's Stitchy Friends

Sunday, December 23, 2012

The Totally Useless Stitch A Long 2013

Here we go! Are you ready for some major ORT collecting for 2013? This is going to be a fantastic year for stitching. I just know it!

The 2013 TUSAL is launched!

What is an ORT?ORT or ort ~ Capitalized, it stands for Old Ratty Threads. These are the cast-off thread ends a needleworker cuts away. These ends are often saved in clear jars as a decorative object. The word, "ort" does appear in the dictionary, meaning: a bit of something left over; usually concerning food.

Why would you save these and why on earth post a picture on your blog?Not everyone saves them. Some stitchers just toss them in the trash or let them decorate the sofa and floor. Sometimes this inadvertent decorating draws ire from those living with us. Saving these clippings in one place creates a random tangle of lovely colored thread. Posting a photo of this pile is "progress" of a sort and thus, the Totally Useless Stitch ALong was born.

If you would like to join the Stitch-A-Long:

1. Get a glass jar or other container and save your thread clippings. Some stitchers include fabric trimmings, thread bands or any other stitching cast-offs they gather. You may continue filling this jar throughout the year OR you may empty the jar and start over each month ~ no firm rules here!

2. On (or about) each New Moon take a picture of the ORTs in your jar and post it to your blog. This is a blog game so YES, you MUST have a blog to be included.

3. Yes, you can use your current ORT jar or jars. This is no contest...the stitcher with the most ORTs doesn't win!

4. You should post a picture each New Moon, even if there has been no "progress" to show. We are aiming for "once a month" here...no whippings for being late, early or absent!5. When you have posted the picture of your ORTs visit my blog and comment on my ORT report for that month's TUSAL. If I have a Totally Useless Giveaway these comments give you an extra entry!

The New Moon dates for 2013 are:

January 11

February 10

March 11

April 10

May 10

June 8

July 8

August 6

September 5

October 5

November 3

December 3

If you would like to join in on the fun leave a comment on this post. In years past, I have made up a "guest list" by adding a blog link list for everyone that joined ~however~ this year I probably will not do that. It takes hours and hours and hours of visiting blogs, editing the post, checking links, editing the post, correcting mistakes, editing the post. I'd much rather be stitching or visiting your blog on a recreational basis. Therefore, consider your comment to be your entry. Make sure your profile is set to "open" so people can visit your blog or leave a link to your blog in your comment. I hope you aren't offended I am not doing a guest list. We are adopting a new puppy at the end of the week and I'm thinking to be rather busy for quite some time. If I manage my time better than expected perhaps I will reconsider.

A request: I notice there are a lot of bloggers completely in the dark about your Totally Useless posts. They see lots of people posting pictures of ORT jars but they have NO IDEA why. They might want to join in the fun too! Please put a LINK to this sign-up page when you make your TUSAL posts. A link in your sidebar is great but ONLY if your readers SEE it and realize what it is.

If you would like to add the TUSAL link gadget to your sidebar (in Blogger): right click on it and save the photo to your computer, go to your blog's layout and choose "add a photo" and put the address to the 2013 TUSAL post in the link option. Upload the photo and save.

A shout-out on your blog to let other stitchers know about the 2013 Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long would be greatly appreciated! Plus, please change the links in your sidebar to this new post!

I have had fun posting in 2012 and have added 2013 dates to my calendar. Will be doing this with y'all! Have also added a link to this post to my sidebar and will try to remember in my post sharings. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! :D Cathryn

I'm in....even though I usually get sidetracked by March. I kept my orts, just didn't post about them so I am halfway there. But like Patty C. Said.....it's a new year. Let's be optimistic. I will update my blog with the links and info you request once I am back on a laptop.

yahhhoooooo ... I have some orts already for the start of the year whoop whoop ... oooo I recognise the wee ort bag there ;)hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a very merry stitchy new year :) love mouse xxxxx

I'm in! Last year was such fun - I enjoyed watching my ORT jar fill up with threads. Sometimes, when I felt I wasn't getting much stitching done, I would look at my jar and see that I was indeed making progress. Thanks for the fun game!

I've never participated in something like this before, but I always love looking at my threads collecting on the corner of the couch, so this would be much better! I'm willing to give this a shot, count me in for 2013!Cindy

I've been seeing posts about this for a couple years now and it's time I join in!I hope I can keep up though since I travel for work and am away sometimes for a couple months at a time. Here we goooooooooo............

I like the fact we can be vague about this - late and missing posts seem to be my thing! Don't worry about not producing a guest list - this is all about fun, and it should be fun for you too! My blog address is:http://astitchintime-jo.blogspot.co.uk/Just in case my profile is closed. Another thing I'm vague about! Happy New Year Sharon!

I'll join in! I'm just getting back into stitching after a decade-long hiatus, so this will be added incentive to stick with it! I blog at http://www.traveling-well.com - but there's no stitching there... yet :)

I want to join the TUSAL this year. I noticed it while blog-surfing last year and thought it seemed fun. I will try to make a post each full moon on my blog. The address is: http://www.theoccasionalcrafter.com/

I just started the blog and have not been able to make a decision about the design yet. It is quite unfinished, but I am hoping it will improve over the year.

I will attempt this. I'm horrible at keeping up with this type of stuff. It will start February for me as I already missed the new moon and just have an empty jar right now. I will probably be late because I added it to Astrid so I wouldn't forget. They don't have an option for repeating on the New Moon just monthly. Which is not quite the same.

I am joining in this year after skipping most of last year's TUSAL. Tomorrow I will take some daytime pictures of my orts jar and get a post up. Thanks for doing this again, Sharon! And OMG, Molly is so cute!!

wow! the last year i've seen lots of post about it and always wonder how to join the game, finaly i know how to do it :) Hope it is not too late to join. Will post my picture as soon as possible.http://jennyscreation.blogspot.ca/